Department for Transport

Transport for the North: Finance

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact that the proposed reduction in the rail budget for Transport for the North will have on their levelling-up agenda.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Rail North Partnership Grant that Transport for the North receives from the Department will continue unchanged in the next financial year. In addition, to date, over £100m has been spent on Northern Powerhouse Rail development, with at least another £75m next year. The Department and Transport for the North are currently working closely together to develop a revised Strategic Outline Case (SOC) for NPR, which is due to be submitted in 2021. The most recent allocation of core funding to Transport for the North will enable the organisation to continue to play a valuable role in delivering its statutory functions of developing a transport strategy for the region and helping the Department to prioritise, bringing strength of partnership among members to speak to the government with one voice. The Department will continue to work with TfN to achieve our shared ambition of world-class infrastructure in the region. The Spending Review settlement includes funding for key transport infrastructure projects and programmes in the North, and the Spending Review also demonstrated our commitment to accelerate projects in the North.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Green Homes Grant Scheme

Lord Stevenson of Balmacara: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many vouchers were sent out by email to successful applicants to the Green Homes Grant scheme in 2020.

Lord Callanan: As of 31 December 2020, 11,298 applications were approved, with 12,849 vouchers issued by email to successful applicants.

Green Homes Grant Scheme

Lord Stevenson of Balmacara: To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) how many applications were approved for, and (2) what was the total amount awarded through, the Green Homes Grant scheme in 2020

Lord Callanan: As of 31 December 2020:(1) 11,298 applications were approved, corresponding to 12,849 vouchers issued;(2) The vouchers issued represents £52.1 million of approved funding. This will not be awarded until the scheduled works are completed and vouchers are redeemed.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Lord Foster of Bath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by the Climate Change Committee Sixth Carbon Budget, published on 9 December 2020, what estimate they have made of the potential amount of greenhouse gas emissions which could be reduced by spending up to two per cent of GDP.

Lord Callanan: The Committee on Climate Change's (CCC) latest estimate puts the incremental costs of action to deliver net zero emissions by 2050 at below 1% of UK GDP throughout the next 30 years. The Government is considering the CCC’s advice on Carbon Budget 6, and our Impact Assessment on setting the level of Carbon Budget 6 will set out more detail on the costs and benefits associated with reducing emissions. HM Treasury is conducting a review on how to achieve the net zero transition in a way that works for households, businesses and public finances, as well as ensuring that this is compatible with our plans for a thriving and competitive economy. Their interim report, published on 17 December 2020, set out the overall approach to the Review and analysis which will inform the final report due this Spring.

Department of Health and Social Care

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government which (1) clinical commissioning groups, and (2) GP surgeries, were given places for the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in each week since vaccinations started.

Lord Bethell: Over 1000 local vaccination services are available to administer the vaccine. The designated site names and regions of these services and their associated clinical commissioning group, are attached due to the size of the data.Local Vaccination Services (xlsx, 208.5KB)

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide an at-home COVID-19 vaccination service for (1) people with severe mobility issues, and (2) other people who cannot access their local vaccination site.

Lord Bethell: Local vaccination services coordinate and deliver vaccinations to people who are unable to attend a vaccination site. This includes visiting care homes, the homes of housebound individuals and other settings such as residential facilities for people with learning disabilities or autism and prisons and to reach vulnerable groups such as those who are experiencing homelessness.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the average length of time between (1) the delivery of COVID-19 vaccine doses manufactured outside the UK and their arrivalat the facility in the UK at which they will be administered, and (2) between such vaccine doses arriving at thefacility in which they will be used and their actual administration; and how many doses of a COVID-19 vaccine have gone to waste to date in the UK.

Lord Bethell: Vaccine suppliers are required to deliver to the UK against a contract delivery schedule and this will vary depending on the vaccine. Once the vaccine has reached the UK’s central holding facility, the vaccine is stored at the required temperature until the vaccine is packed against an order from the National Health Service (NHS). The following factors determine how quickly the vaccine is delivered into NHS administration sites: how much vaccine is held centrally; how many orders are received from the NHS; and, how frequently orders are received. . The average time cannot be calculated because of these variables. There have been no incidents of wastage reported through Public Health England’s vaccine ordering system thus far. NHS England recommend that administration of the vaccine is planned from the day after receipt of the vaccine. The number of COVID-19 vaccine doses that have gone to waste to date within the NHS in England is not available in the requested format.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of data from Israel on the effectiveness of the single dose of thePfizer/BioNTechCOVID-19 vaccine, and of their decisionto delay giving a second vaccine dose to people for up to 12 weeks.

Lord Bethell: The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has reviewed headline data from Israel on vaccine effect, particularly the vaccine effectiveness estimate at day 14 after the first dose. The JCVI concluded that the results are preliminary and there is a need for greater clarity, including full information on the data used, before further consideration or comment. The JCVI will review this data carefully once the full study details are released. The JCVI continues to recommend that as many people on the JCVI priority list as possible should be offered a first vaccine dose as the initial priority. One dose of the vaccine offers important protection until the second dose can be administered. All individuals will subsequently receive a second dose in due course.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they plan to work with dispensing doctors for the administration of COVID-19 vaccines to patients in rural areas.

Lord Bethell: General practices, including dispensing practices, form just one part of the plan for delivering COVID-19 vaccination and will operate as part of a system of providers, ensuring the best possible coverage of the UK population. Each Primary Care Network grouping is required to work with their local regional team to understand the current healthcare provision for vulnerable groups. Where there are gaps in provision, NHS England will commission additional providers, such as community pharmacy, hospital hubs, and mass vaccination centres, to provide COVID-19 vaccinations. The first community pharmacy sites and mass vaccination centres opened the week commencing 11 January 2021.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

Baroness Gale: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish the outcome of the pilot for family members to be tested regularly to enable safer care home visits in Cornwall, Hampshire and Devon, carried out in November.

Lord Bethell: A full pilot evaluation report will be published shortly.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many carehomeresidents in England died from COVID-19 related symptoms in each weekfrom 1 April to 1 September.

Lord Bethell: The following table shows the number of deaths of care home residents occurring in care homes in England, by date of death registration in each week between 1 April to 1 September 2020. Week endingTotal number of deaths3 April 202018710 April 202076817 April 20201,92924 April 20202,6691 May 20202,3298 May 20201,59015 May 20201,59222 May 20201,04629 May 20206705 June 202053612 June 202036019 June 202024226 June 20201813 July 202016310 July 20208917 July 20209124 July 20206731 July 2020447 August 20202914 August 20203921 August 20203928 August 2020234 September 202017 Source: Office of National Statistics, Deaths registered weekly in England and WalesNotes:This data covers deaths of care home residents occurring in care homes in England only and will not cover those who died in other locations such as hospital.The dates refer to the date of death registration. There can be a delay between date that a death occurred and the date it was registered.

Autism

Lord Bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to publish a national autism strategy for people of all ages; and if so, when.

Lord Bethell: We plan to publish a new all-age autism strategy this spring, subject to COVID-19 pressures.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the average waiting time to receive COVID-19 vaccinations in (1) mass vaccination hubs, (2) GP surgeries, and (3) community pharmacies.

Lord Bethell: Waiting times at individual vaccination sites are not collected centrally by NHS England and NHS Improvement. However, it is important to keep waiting times to a minimum. To support this, the national vaccination booking system has been set up so that specific time slots can be booked in advance based on a site’s capacity.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the implications of the emergence of variants of COVID-19, and (2) the potential for future mutations of that virus; and what plans they have made for the rapid acquisition of any re-purposed vaccine that may be needed.

Lord Bethell: There is currently no evidence that the vaccines do not work against the new strains but our experts are examining this closely. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is in discussion with vaccine manufacturers on potential modifications to current vaccines that may improve their effectiveness against new virus variants, if required. The MHRA will continue to process any application rapidly and rigorously, seeking advice from its independent expert committee, the Commission on Human Medicines and authorise any new variant vaccine as soon as data on safety, quality and efficacy are satisfactory.

NHS: Migrant Workers

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many international medical graduates are working for the NHS in the UK on a temporary visa; how many (1) such graduates, and (2) families of those graduates, have not yet been granted indefinite leave to remain; and how many of those graduates have been told that they may be deported.

Lord Bethell: The information requested is not held centrally.

Nurses: Students

Lord Goodlad: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the (1) Royal College of Nursing, and (2) Nursing and Midwifery Council, about the availability of (a) student nurses, and (b) nursing students, volunteering to be seconded to the NHS; and what has been the outcome of any such discussions.

Lord Bethell: As a result of the rapidly increasing transmission rates of COVID-19, officials from the Department, NHS England and NHS Improvement and Health Education England held discussions with the Royal College of Nursing and the Nursing and Midwifery Council about the role of nursing students during this wave of the pandemic.On 14 January 2021, the Nursing and Midwifery Council announced that it was reintroducing the emergency education standards, to enable final year nursing students to opt into paid placements to support the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, dependent on local National Health Service need.Further guidance on the implementation will be provided by Health Education England and NHS England and NHS Improvement as appropriate.

NHS: Staff

Lord Bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the final report of the NHS People Plan will be published.

Lord Bethell: The NHS People Plan is not a single document but a shared programme of work to grow the workforce, support new ways of working and develop a compassionate and inclusive workplace culture in order to deliver the NHS Long Term Plan. The NHS People Plan 2020-21, published last summer, is focused on supporting National Health Service staff to manage the COVID-19 response and winter pressures, with a strong focus on looking after the health and wellbeing of staff. We are working with NHS England and NHS Improvement, Health Education England and with systems and employers to determine our workforce and people priorities beyond April 2021 to support the recovery of NHS staff and of services. This will include building on many of the positive ways of working that have emerged through the pandemic whilst continuing to support the wellbeing of NHS staff.

Hygiene

Lord Cashman: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact ofimplementing a targeted hygiene approach in the health sector and its applicability to wider societal settings during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lord Bethell: No specific assessment has been made. The Government will continue to monitor the impact of implementing non pharmaceutical interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic and consider any further actions required.

Food: Coronavirus

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in food preparation factories.

Lord Bethell: Public Health England (PHE) has been working in partnership with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to provide guidance to food businesses. The guidance was published in an online only format on 6 January 2021. PHE has also published a resource pack which has been prepared in partnership with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Food Standards Agency, the Health and Safety Executive and the Local Government Association for the food industry which has been made available to PHE’s Health Protection Teams (HPTs), the food industry and local authorities. It is available directly from HPTs, through the Local Government Association Knowledge Hub, on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ Huddle site, and via FoodFarmHelp in an online only format.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many GP surgeries have had to stop administering COVID-19 vaccines due to supply shortages; and what is the average time they have had to suspend vaccinations in such instances.

Lord Bethell: The information requested is not collected centrally and to obtain it would incur disproportionate cost. Each week, all available vaccine is allocated, so local vaccine services are supplied with the vaccine as soon as it is available.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the number of COVID-19 (1) cases, and (2) deaths, since April 2020 of the "engaging, explaining, encouraging and enforcing" strategy introduced by police forces in England and Wales in relation to the restrictions in place to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lord Bethell: No specific assessment has been made.The Government will continue to monitor and assess the effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical interventions of all types in curbing the spread of COVID-19 and consider what further actions are needed.

Coronavirus: Take-away Food

Lord Pendry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that deliveries of takeaway food to homes adhere to sufficient hygiene measures for the (1) preparation, and (2) delivery, of such food during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lord Bethell: In response to these COVID-19 challenges, in August 2020 the Food Standards Agency launched the ‘Here to Help’ campaign to provide tailored guidance for small food businesses such as restaurants, takeaways and coffee shops, to outline changes to hygiene processes and requirements they must follow as they develop new ways of working. The Here to Help campaign aims to support businesses in getting this right, to ensure consumers continue to have access to food that is safe. Assessing whether food takeaway businesses comply with food law is the responsibility of local authorities.

Department for Education

Apprentices: Remote Education

Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to ensure that any apprentices from disadvantaged backgrounds receive access to any (1) laptops, and (2) broadband connections, required for them to complete assessments and functional skills tests remotely.

Baroness Berridge: We are committed to supporting apprentices and employers to safely continue with, and complete, their programmes during the COVID-19 outbreak.Following the announcement of a new national lockdown on 4 January 2021, employers and training providers must ensure that training and assessment takes place remotely. Face-to-face training and assessment can continue for vulnerable young apprentices – which includes 16- to 18-year-olds who may have difficulty engaging with remote training and assessment at home due to a lack of IT equipment or connectivity – and in employers’ COVID-secure settings where it is essential for workers to attend their workplace, and where it is safe and practical to do so.Employers are responsible for providing their employees, including apprentices, with the tools they need to work remotely and should support apprentices with the digital resources they need to also continue their apprenticeships remotely. This includes access to equipment required for remote assessments and Functional Skills tests. Training providers may also be able to support apprentices with access to equipment where required.To support businesses during this time, we have extended the incentive payments for employers of up to £2000 for each new apprentice they hire until the end of March 2021. Employers can use this funding to help meet any of the costs associated with supporting a new apprentice in the workplace, including providing laptops and other resources for learning.

Apprentices: Assessments

Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to mandate teacher-assessed grades for functional skills tests where apprentices cannot travel to a test centre safely during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Baroness Berridge: The impact of the COVID-19 outbreak has meant that it was not always viable for external exams and assessments to go ahead for some vocational and technical qualifications (VTQs) this year, this includes Functional Skills Qualifications (FSQs).The department and Ofqual launched a consultation on 15 January 2021, seeking views by 29 January 2021, on the department’s position that Functional Skills qualification assessments should continue to take place remotely or in line with public health guidelines where possible, and that alternative arrangements should be introduced for those learners, including apprentices, who are unable to access assessments. The consultation on alternative arrangements for the award of VTQs and other general qualifications is published here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/953003/6743-2_2021_VTQ_alternative_arrangements_consultation_15JAN21.pdf .The approach for providing Functional Skills learners, including apprentices, with a result through alternative arrangements will be determined in light of the consultation. Until the outcome of the consultation is known, we can confirm that active apprentices who are deemed ready to take their FSQ assessments can still do so if it is in line with public health guidelines. This means apprentices can take their assessment at work or remotely, using flexibilities made available by their awarding organisation.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Diplomatic Service: Coronavirus

Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures are in place to protect British civil servants and consular staff working abroad from COVID-19.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: UK based and international staff and their families undergo robust health clearance before they are posted to our embassies and missions overseas, or before travelling on official business. This ensures that any individual health risk can be mitigated by taking into account medical history, intended country of posting and occupation. Staff health overseas is overseen by our One HMG Healthline and advice from NHS trained doctors and nurses is available 24/7. The majority of government departments who deploy staff to the FCDO's overseas missions share this approach, although a small number opt for alternative medical cover. Staff and families are also supported by the FCDO Overseas Health and Welfare Team or HR teams in their own departments. The FCDO Chief Medical Officer and her team of health advisers advise our missions and their staff on the public health and hygiene measures they need to take individually and collectively to stay COVID safe. We keep healthcare overseas and medical evacuation under regular review. Our Estates professionals provide advice to ensure our offices and residential accommodation are maintained as COVID-secure environments for all staff and their families.We are mindful of the need to protect our consular staff who provide help and support to British Nationals around the world 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year. Staff are able to provide support remotely and where face to face contact is necessary this is by appointment only. We have made adaptations to public counters and waiting rooms to make them COVID-secure and staff and visitors must adhere to stringent preventive measures including social distancing, face covering and hand hygiene. Where local COVID restrictions allow visits to British nationals in hospital or detention, we consider these on a case by case basis following a risk assessment. Consular staff handle challenging and distressing cases and are encouraged to attend regular wellbeing supervision sessions which are continuing remotely.

Nagorno Karabakh: Prisoners

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, what discussions they plan to have with the government of (1) Azerbaijan, and(2) Armenia, about (a) the number of prisonersof war still heldas a result of the recent conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh region,and (b) continuing the exchange of suchprisoners which began on 14 December 2020.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: In her recent conversations with the Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers, the Minister for the European Neighbourhood and the Americas underlined the importance of abiding by the 9 November peace agreement, and of addressing all outstanding issues under the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group. This includes working with humanitarian agencies on the return and exchange of prisoners. We will continue to urge progress on this crucial issue.

British Virgin Islands Commission of Inquiry

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 18 January (HLWS712),who are the members of the Commission of Inquiry led by the Rt Hon. Sir Gary Hickinbottom.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Governor of the British Virgin Islands appointed the Right Honourable Sir Gary Hickinbottom as a sole commissioner on 19 January 2021. The commissioner will be supported by a Secretary and additional team members.

Nagorno Karabakh: International Red Cross

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of access the International Committee of the Red Cross has had to the Nagorno-Karabakh region and adjoining territories; and what steps, if any, they are taking to increasesuch access.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government is aware that humanitarian organisations have had difficulties in gaining access to the Nagorno Karabakh region. The challenges they have faced include ongoing questions around political status and the winter weather. The Minister for the European Neighbourhood and the Americas has continued to raise the importance of all humanitarian agencies, including the ICRC, having access to the region in her engagements with both the Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers.

Syria: Detainees

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they intend to have with the government of (1) Albania, and (2) North Macedonia, about the repatriation of (a) Albanian, (b) North Macedonian, and (c) British, citizensheld in camps in north-east Syria.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We regularly discuss countering violent extremism (CVE) with National CVE Coordinators and other officials in Albania and North Macedonia, including through our embassies in the region. We have no plans to discuss repatriation of British citizens from camps in north east Syria with Albania or North Macedonia but will continue to cooperate closely with both countries on a range of security-related issues.

West Bank: Construction

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of the seizure of tools used for construction by Palestinians in Area C of the West Bank by the Israel Defense Forces.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are concerned by Israeli confiscations of Palestinian homes, structures and property. We regularly raise these issues with the Israeli authorities. The practice of confiscations causes unnecessary suffering to ordinary Palestinians and is harmful to the peace process.

Uganda: Elections

Baroness Kennedy of Cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the outcome of the Presidential election held in Uganda on 16 January.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Voting in Uganda's Presidential election concluded on 14 January and we note the re-election of President Museveni. However, significant concerns remain unaddressed including the treatment of opposition candidates in the runup to and since the elections, and the internet shutdown during the elections. These restrictions on opposition activity do not provide for an open political landscape, within which democracy can flourish. We deployed 51 Election Observers across Uganda on election day. They observed and evaluated the elections and reported back to our High Commission in Kampala. We have been consulting with the diplomatic community in Kampala, civil society actors, other international observers, and the Government of Uganda to ensure we have a comprehensive and accurate picture of the elections. We have also urged the Government of Uganda to respond to the concerns raised. The Minister for Africa set out in a statement our concerns about the overall political climate surrounding the elections and has urged the Government of Uganda to meet its international human rights commitments. The treatment of opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi is unacceptable and the Minister for Africa expressed his concerns about this in his tweet on 19 January. Political freedoms are vital for democracy to prevail and the UK will continue to make representations on this issue to the Ugandan authorities.

Gambia: Politics and Government

Baroness Kennedy of Cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission in Gambia.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government welcomed the establishment of the independent Truth Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) in 2018 to gather information about human rights violations which took place under the presidency of Yahya Jammeh. The UK has provided £75,000 through the International Centre for Transitional Justice for an outreach programme to raise awareness and promote engagement. Our High Commissioner in Banjul regularly meets TRRC officials and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office hosted the TRRC Vice Chair and officials in London in 2019. We look forward to further engagement before the TRRC presents its findings in May this year.

Ethiopia: Elections

Baroness Kennedy of Cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Ethiopia following the decision by the electoral board to deregister the Tigray People’s Liberation Front.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are aware that the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia has revoked the legal status of the Tigray People's Liberation Front as a political party.The Foreign Secretary spoke with Prime Minister Abiy during his recent visit to the country and discussed the importance of credible elections in maintaining peace and stability. Ensuring security, freedom of the media and allowing political parties to organise and campaign are critical to credible elections. It is vital that the people of Tigray are represented by leadership which they consider to be legitimate.

Tigray: Armed Conflict

Baroness Kennedy of Cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the ongoing conflict in Tigray.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We remain concerned about the impact of the continued fighting in Tigray on both the humanitarian situation and on wider stability in Ethiopia and beyond. We continue to urge both parties to bring an end to fighting, prioritise the protection of civilians and allow unfettered humanitarian access, points the Foreign Secretary raised when he met with Prime Minister Abiy during his visit on 22 January. The Foreign Secretary also discussed the importance of independent human rights investigations taking place and the need to ensure that perpetrators are brought to account.

Syria: Military Intervention

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made ofreports that (1) Turkish forces shelled the Ain Issa district of Syria on 4 January, (2) a Turkish military base is being built near Ain Issa, and (3) the government of Turkey is reinforcing its existing forces in north and north-west Syria; and what representations they have made to the government of Turkey about those reports.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Ministers and officials maintain regular contact with the Turkish Government and frequently discuss the situation in Syria, including to welcome Turkey's continued efforts to protect civilians in Idlib from a further regime offensive. Most recently, the UK Ambassador in Ankara spoke with Turkey's Director General for Syria on 20 January, when they discussed the situation in north-east Syria, including a recent increase in activity around Ain Issa. In conversations with all actors in Syria we make clear the importance of abiding by their obligations under international law. We welcome the fact that the ceasefires in north-east and north-west Syria are broadly holding and we urge all parties to continue adherence.

USA: Foreign Relations

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what engagement they have had with President-elect Biden's transition team on UK–US joint priorities.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Since President Biden's inauguration, the UK Government has engaged extensively with the new Administration at all levels of government on our joint priorities. The Prime Minister spoke with President Biden on 23 January, where they looked forward to deepening the close alliance between our nations. They noted the significant challenges facing the world during the pandemic, but also the unparalleled opportunities to build back better and greener together. The Foreign Secretary spoke with Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on 27 January where they spoke of the same priorities and the need to promote open societies and an international system based on the rule of law and human rights. He also spoke to the new National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan, on 22 January where they looked forward to working together to deliver on our shared foreign and security priorities. The Defence Secretary, the Chancellor, and the President for COP 26 have also spoken to their counterparts in the new Administration on our priorities.

Ministry of Defence

Armed Forces: Families

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they communicate with, and understand the needs of, the spouses and families ofmilitary personnel to enable them to offer appropriate support.

Baroness Goldie: The Government maintains regular communication with the three single Services, the Armed Forces Families Federations, and Service Charities. These organisations represent and promote the needs of families to the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and central Government by engaging in cross-sector fora, under the agreed principles of the Armed Forces Covenant. The views of partners, spouses, and families of military personnel are gathered on an annual basis through the Families Continuous Attitudes Survey. The results of this survey influence policy making across Government. The MOD is also committed to capturing the opinions of young people, establishing a youth voice working group and hosting local youth fora. Young people attend and present on issues affecting them at senior Board meetings as well as being represented on the Youth Parliament British Forces Overseas. The single Services ensure that families receive timely information via their HiVE service and provide a wide range of guidance and support to personnel, their families, veterans, and reservists. This is complimented by the British Forces Broadcasting Service, which regularly holds interviews with key individuals on subjects of interest to families. The Secretary of State for Defence publishes an annual Armed Forces Covenant Report which includes a chapter on the support provided to families across key areas including partner employment, healthcare, children’s education, wellbeing and housing. These reports include the Families Federations’ unedited observations of the Government’s progress in delivering its commitments under the Covenant and which inform future priorities. An independent review into the needs of Service families ‘Living in Our Shoes’ was commissioned by the MOD in 2019 and published in June 2020. Alongside other research, its findings and recommendations are informing the refresh of the UK Armed Forces Families Strategy which the MOD expects to publish later this year. The Strategy will be supported by an Action Plan outlining targeted measures to improve outcomes for families over the course of the next two years. During the Covid-19 pandemic it has never been more important to capture the needs of families and to make sure they feel understood and listened to. The HiVE services have played a critical role in getting the latest information to families. Over the course of the pandemic Chief of Defence People has twice written to families to thank them for their support and provide guidance and support on a range of issues including financial resilience, support for partners and spouses’ careers, and access to allowances.

Armed Forces: Foreign Nationals

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether (1) foreign and commonwealth serving military personnel, and (2) foreign and commonwealth veterans, have a special point of contact in the Ministry of Defence.

Baroness Goldie: All serving personnel, regardless of their nationality, have access to a comprehensive system of advice and support from their Chain of Command, welfare staff and Padres. If the issue cannot be resolved at that level, it may be referred to the relevant Ministry of Defence policy owner, and where specialist advice or support is required, individuals will be sign posted to the appropriate organisations.During transition from and after leaving the service, the Defence Transition Service (DTS) delivers a full range of transition support for individuals, as a service leaver or family member, working directly with the service leaver to provide tailored information and guidance. DTS will facilitate access to the support they need, whether that be from other Government departments, local authorities, the NHS or trusted charities. The Veterans UK Welfare Service provide support to all veterans both overseas and in the UK, regardless of nationality. This includes helping them to access the relevant information and advice they need about their individual circumstances.

Aircraft Carriers

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Goldieon 19 January (HL12039), whether any of those witnesses have ever served in the British Armed Forces on a (1) carrier, or(2) warship, conducting military operations.

Baroness Goldie: The witnesses of the Carrier Strike oral evidence hearing to the Public Accounts Committee on 28 September 2020, have not served in the British Armed Forces on a carrier, or warship, conducting military operations.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Flood Control

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the effectiveness of existing flood warning systems, and (2) the level of investment in flood defences.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Over 1.52 million properties in England are signed up to the Environment Agency's (EA) free flood warning service, which sends a message directly by voice message, text or email when a flood warning is issued. Our latest assessment from September 2020 showed that the EA’s Flood Warning Service is available to 84% of those who live in areas of flood risk (target 83%). The take up is 82% by those who are offered the service (target 80%). The EA continues to work on improving performance against measures on flood warning quality (timeliness and accuracy, message quality). There are millions of visits every year to the online Flood Information Service. This provides the public with an opportunity to give feedback on the service provided. From July to December 2020, 61% said that they were either satisfied or very satisfied. Direct user feedback helps to target where improvements are needed and make best use of government funding. For example, as part of the discovery work for the NeXt Warning System, the EA looked into how the current flood warning service and supporting systems are designed, support and delivered. The report proposes recommendations on how they can build a next generation flood warning system to better support the needs of the users, the business and wider government. Since 2010 the Environment Agency (and Natural Resources Wales) has worked with telephone providers to access and automatically register landline phone numbers onto the flood warning system. The service, which automatically adds phone numbers registered in areas at risk of flooding, now encompasses all four major Mobile Network Operators – O2, Three, Vodafone and EE. From April 2021, the new 6-year £5.2 billion capital investment programme, announced in the March 2020 Budget, will start. This will ensure a further 336,000 homes and non-residential properties such as businesses, schools and hospitals are better protected from flooding and coastal erosion. £24.9 million of this investment will be allocated annually to run the Flood Incident Management service which directly supports costs for Flood Warnings. In addition, £23.1 million will be spent over the next 5 years for developing and enhancing the service. The Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovation Programme has also allocated £150 million from 2021 to 2027 for ‘resilience actions’, such as tailored flood warning systems.

Fisheries: Redundancy

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the UK–EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement on job losses within the UK fishing industry.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: Under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, the UK has secured tariff free access for fisheries products caught or from aquaculture and a substantial transfer of quota from the EU which will benefit fishing communities across the UK. The Government has not made an assessment of the impact of the Agreement on any job losses within the UK fishing industry. On 24 December the Prime Minister announced an additional £100 million programme to support UK fishing communities and rejuvenate the industry. We will provide more details of this funding in due course.

Thames Estuary: Flood Control

Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have (1) to manage, and (2) to mitigate, the risk of increased tidal flooding in the Thames Estuary; and what plans they have to build further flood barriers in that Estuary.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The Environment Agency (EA) is working with its partners, including councils, to deliver the Thames Estuary 2100 Plan. The Plan was published in 2012 and sets out a strategy for managing increasing tidal flood risk in the estuary until the end of the century. The Thames Estuary is at significant risk from tidal flooding. A complex network of defences, including 8 major barriers, 330km of walls and embankments, and over 900 flood gates, outfalls and pumps, work together to protect 1.3 million people and £275 billion worth of property from tidal flooding. Climate change, population growth and ageing flood defences mean that tidal flood risk will increase over time, unless this risk is carefully managed. The Thames Estuary 2100 Plan (approved by the Government in 2012) is internationally recognised as a leading example of a climate change adaptation strategy. It is designed to be adaptable to different projections for climate change and sea level rise. The EA is now working on the 10-Year Review of the Plan, using the latest climate evidence and data to revise the strategy for managing tidal flood risk, ensuring we can continue to protect the Thames Estuary from rising sea levels into the future. The Thames Estuary 2100 Plan identifies various options for replacing or improving the Thames Barrier, when the current Barrier reaches the end of its life. Latest data indicates that a new barrier will need to be operational by 2070. The EA is currently holding three potential sites for a new barrier, either at the current site, in Long Reach or Tilbury. The locations are determined mainly by navigational requirements on the river. The team are working on securing land at all of these sites to ensure that they will be available if we need them. A decision on the location is planned for around 2040, to allow enough time for planning, approval and construction by 2070. The preferred option will depend upon how the climate changes between now and 2040, as well as future projections.

Flood Control

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with relevant water management bodies, including(1) water companies and, (2) the Association of Drainage Authorities, about (a) increasing the maintenance of water courses, (b) achieving integrated catchment management, and (c) increasingprivate sector investment in flood defences.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Ministers and officials meet regularly with water companies, the Association of Drainage Authorities and other stakeholders to discuss these and other matters that will help secure our long term resilience to flooding and costal erosion.In July 2020 the Government published its long-term Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Policy Statement which sets out the Government's ambition to create a nation more resilient to future flood and coastal erosion risk. The Policy Statement sets out five key policies and over 40 actions, to deliver an integrated approach to managing water and develop a diverse range of sustainable funding and finance opportunities.Between 2015 and 2020 we committed over £1 billion on the maintenance of flood defence assets. This is a real term increase in spending compared to the £812 million spent in the previous five years. Our Policy statement includes our commitment to ensure that there is a long-term approach to maintain our network of flood defences across the country, through a combination of investment and action by risk management authorities, government, riparian owners and wider beneficiaries. This, and all the actions set out in the Government's Policy Statement will continue to be delivered in partnership with all our stakeholders.The Government's Strategic Policy Statement already requires Ofwat to ensure water companies improve planning and investment to prevent wastewater flooding and to improve infrastructure resilience against extreme flood events. Following the 2019 Price Review the water sector has committed to invest more than £1 billion to protect the environment, homes, businesses and drinking water from flooding.Water companies are developing Drainage and Sewerage Management Plans that will inform the next price review. These plans provide a framework for organisations to work together, through which joint solutions and approaches can be developed to improve drainage and environmental water quality. Water companies are participating in and, in some cases, fund the Catchment Based Approach which is one of the Government's key mechanisms to deliver integrated catchment management.Ahead of the next price review in 2024, the Government has committed to consider if additional outcome measures are required through future Price Reviews and the Environment Agency and Ofwat will develop a joint approach for how water companies should address flood and coastal resilience.Between 2015-2021 the government's partnership investment programme has generated over £500 million from private and public sources to complement the government's grant in aid budget. This investment has helped deliver flood defence projects across England helping the Government meet its commitment of better protecting 300,000 homes from flooding.The Government's Policy Statement sets out how we will explore opportunities to further incentivise contributions from others including from businesses and the private sector. On 1 February we published a call for evidence on strengthening the assessment of local factors in the government's flood and coastal defence programme, including how we can incentivise increased private sector contributions to flood and coastal defence projects.

Fishing Catches: Compensation

Baroness Harris of Richmond: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to compensate (1) the crew of, and (2) those employed through the supply chain of the catch from, the Kirkella trawler which has been unable to operate due to not having access to distant fishing waters.

Baroness Harris of Richmond: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to secure access for UK fishers to the (1) Barents Sea, (2) Norwegian Economic Zone, and (3) Greenland Economic Zone.

Baroness Harris of Richmond: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the memorandum of understanding with the government of Iceland, published on 11 November 2020, offers access to Icelandic waters for UK fishers.

Baroness Harris of Richmond: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the UK–Norway Framework Agreement on Fisheries ensures distant waters fishing access for UK trawlers.

Baroness Harris of Richmond: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to secure fishing treaties with the governments of (1) Norway, and (2) Iceland.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The UK secured a fisheries treaty with Norway which was signed on 30 September 2020 and approved by Parliament on 2 December 2020. It also secured fisheries memoranda of understanding with Iceland and with Greenland published on 11 November 2020. The UK is currently conducting a series of negotiations with several of its coastal State partners on fishing opportunities and access arrangements for 2021. The UK's overriding priority in these negotiations is to agree the right deal, which is balanced in the best interests of the entire British fishing industry. Ahead of the conclusion of those annual negotiations, the UK's distant water fleet already has access to Norwegian waters to fish in the waters around Svalbard, by separate arrangement with the Norwegian authorities. The details of these opportunities were published on 14 January in the Secretary of State determination of fishing opportunities for British fishing boats covering the period to 31 March 2021. The Kirkella received its licence from the UK Single Issuing Authority on 13 January. Following internal procedures, she set sail for Svalbard last week, and is already more than half way to her destination.

Home Office

Visas: Dependants

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many applications for Adult Dependent Relative visas have been refused since 2016.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The data required for this question cannot be produced through normal data cycles and would involve the need for a manual trawl which would incur cost.The entry clearance data which is published and available can be found at:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/managed-migration-datasets(Select Entry Clearance visas granted outside the UK)

Refugees: Families

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 16 June 2020 (HL4993), how many visas have been grantedto extended family members of refugees outside the Immigration Rules.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Home Office are unable to state how many visas have been granted to extended family members of refugees outside the immigration rules as this information is not published.However, the Home Office do publish data on the number of Family Reunion visa grants, by age and can be found in the published Immigration Statistics at, Fam_01.An extract is contained in the table below;Date of visa grantYear ending Sept 2019Year ending Sept 2020Total grants 6,474  6,066 Under 18 (Age group for total family reunion grants)3,2363,19718+ (Age group for total family reunion grants)3,2382,869

Cabinet Office

Visas: Dependants

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the changes to the Immigration Rules in 2012, how many British citizens they estimate emigrated to take care of dependents due to a family member being refused an Adult Dependent Relative visa.

Lord True: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond. Dear Lord Durham, As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking how many British citizens are estimated to have emigrated to take care of dependents due to a family member being refused an Adult Dependent Relative visa, following the changes to the Immigration Rules in 2012 (HL12280). The Home Office would be best placed to provide information about Adult Dependent Relative visa refusals since 2012. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) does publish estimates of the numbers of British citizens emigrating from the UK[1]. Table 1 shows the numbers of British citizens the ONS estimates to have emigrated from 2012 onwards. 2019 is the latest year for which data is available. The ONS publishes statistics on reasons for migration. However, data are not collected on the numbers of citizens who have emigrated to take care of dependents due to a family member being refused an Adult Dependent Relative (ADR) visa. Therefore, the ONS are unable to estimate how many citizens emigrate for that purpose nor how many are due to the refusal of an ADR visa.  Yours sincerely,Professor Sir Ian Diamond Table 1, British citizens emigrating[2]British (Including Overseas Territories)YearEstimate+/-CI201214314201313412201413713201512413201613413201712913201812515201913817Source: ONS [1]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/internationalmigration/datasets/longterminternationalmigrationcitizenshiptable201a[2] Numbers in thousands

UK Trade with EU

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks made by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on 6 January that Northern Ireland has “a competitive advantage” because it is in the EU Single Market for goods, whether they have made any assessment of the possible competitive disadvantages to (1) England, (2) Wales, and (3) Scotland, of not being within the EU Single Market; and if so, what was the result of any such assessment.

Lord True: On 24 December 2020, the Government secured an agreement with the EU that takes back control of our laws, borders, money, and fisheries.This is the first free trade agreement the EU has ever reached based on zero tariffs and zero quota. Businesses will be able to continue to trade on that basis, selling to their customers in the EU, and people will be able to continue to buy goods from Europe tariff-free, protecting consumer prices.This is good news for families and businesses in every part of the UK, as it means the whole of the UK can make the most of the freedoms that have come with the end of the transition period.In addition, the UK is now free to strike its own trade deals worldwide to the general benefit of all.

Flood Control: Public Participation

Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to encourage local authoritiesto review community and charity participation in local resilience forums in order to bolster preparations for potential flood relief requirements.

Lord True: The Government recognises the important role that the voluntary and community sector play in supporting the statutory services in response to emergencies, such as flood events.Local Resilience Forums have well established processes for engaging with the voluntary and community sector.

Better Regulation Committee

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government who will be themembers of the Cabinet Committee to be established to review opportunities to reduce red tape linked to the UK's former membership of the EU;what the outputs of this Committee will be; whether they will produce a report on such opportunities; and if so, when any such report will be published.

Lord True: The Prime Minister has announced that a new Cabinet Committee, chaired by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, will be set up to refresh the strategy on making better regulation outside the EU, reviewing existing rules and cutting red tape for businesses.Membership of Cabinet Committees is regularly published on GOV.UK. It is a long-established precedent that information about the discussions that have taken place in Cabinet and its Committees, and how often they have met, is not normally shared publicly.

Elections: Coronavirus

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to postpone the elections scheduled for 6 May.

Lord True: Primary legislation states that the elections will go ahead in May 2021.We continue to work closely with the electoral and public health bodies to resolve challenges and ensure everyone will be able to cast their vote safely and securely - and in a way of their choosing.The Government is also bringing forward additional measures to extend the ability to appoint a proxy, so that those that are affected by Covid-19 in the days before the poll are still able to make their voice heard.Guidance will be published in good time ahead of the polls and this matter will be kept under review. The House will be kept updated.

Immigration Controls: Dover Port

The Lord Archbishop of Canterbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they did notapprove theapplication by the Port of Dover for funding to double the capacity for passport checks by the government of France at that port.

Lord True: Allocations from the Port Infrastructure Fund (PIF) have been published at gov.uk. (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/port-infrastructure-fund-allocations/port-infrastructure-fund-successful-applicants).The criteria for awarding grants were set out in the PIF Prospectus. The scope of the PIF concentrated on infrastructure necessary to support GB-EU trade and the Border Operating Model, rather than the movement of people.

Treasury

Hospitality Industry: Finance

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide a long-term financial support package specific to the hospitality sector.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic the Government has worked closely with the hospitality sector to understand the impact the pandemic has had. Businesses forced to legally close, including those in the hospitality sector, can currently claim a one-off grant of up to £9,000. This one-off grant comes in addition to the grants worth up to £3,000 for closed businesses, and up to £2,100 per month for impacted businesses once they reopen. The Government has also provided £1.6 billion of Discretionary Grant funding for local authorities to target support to the businesses that are most important to their local economy. This is in addition to the wide ranging package of support already available, including:the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme which has been extended until AprilGovernment-backed loans, through the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) and Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS), which have been extended until the end of March.‘Pay as You Grow’ options for businesses which have taken out loans through CBILS and BBLS, to make repayments over the long-term;A VAT deferral for up to 12 monthsA 12-month business rates holiday for retail, hospitality and leisure businessesA moratorium on evictions to protect commercial tenants;A reduced rate of VAT (5 per cent) to goods and services supplied by the tourism and hospitality sectors. The Government keeps all available business support under review and is continuing to collect evidence on the impact of the pandemic on these industries. The Government is committed to working with businesses and representative groups to ensure that support provided is right for this industry and the economy through the long-term.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Leisure: Coronavirus

Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the National Leisure Recovery Fund.

Baroness Barran: Sports and physical activity are incredibly important for our physical and mental health, and are a vital weapon against coronavirus.The National Leisure Recovery Fund seeks to support eligible public sector leisure centres to reopen to the public, giving the sport and physical activity sector the best chance of recovery to a position of sustainable operation over the medium term.A total of £100 million is available as a biddable fund to eligible local authorities in England, which will be allocated in a single funding round. Eligible local authorities include: those in England who hold responsibility for the provision of leisure services, those who have outsourced their leisure provision to an external body to and those whose outsourced leisure arrangements have ended since 20 March 2020 and services are now delivered as an in-house function.Government has worked closely with the Sport England, Local Government Association (LGA), ukactive, the District Councils' Network, Community Leisure UK, Chief Cultural and Leisure Officers Association and others to make sure the application and funding process is as fast and simple as possible. We are currently in the process of assessing bids for the fund.

Broadband

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their report Planning for Gigabit Delivery in 2021, published on 22 December 2020,what percentage of (1) "red: largecontract procurement areas", (2) "blue: small procurement areas", and (3) "grey: forecast build areas", will be covered by gigabit broadband by 2025.

Baroness Barran: The government’s target is for a minimum of 85% gigabit capable coverage by 2025, but is seeking to accelerate roll-out further to get as close to 100% as possible. It is not yet possible to break down the coverage as requested at this stage, since the procurement pipeline has not yet been established.The Planning for Gigabit report included potential large and small procurement areas and the Government will be publishing revised maps and procurement pipeline in the Spring, once it has taken account of suppliers’ and local authorities’ feedback on the illustrative areas.The government will also publish an overall programme delivery profile and report progress against its milestones .